Improved paddle-wheel



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FEAnoIs E. soor'r, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED PADDLE-WHEEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,248, datcd July 14,1863.

connected to a bucket-frame, which consists of the arms c and thecross-piece c2, whichare shown in Fig. V. These arms are hinged to thesides of the wheel, as shown at d in Figs. I, Ill, and V, so that thearms working upon their hinges will allow the blades to work in and outof the slots as the wheel revolves. The arms work on the outside of thewheel and closely thereto, so that no solid substance can get in betweenthe arms and the wheel.

In Fig. I a curved blade is shown, and in Fig. 1V a straight blade isshown. Either form may be used, as may be preferred. The straight blademay be made of spring-metal, so that the blade itself will yield if itstrikes a solid substance. Upon the end of the crosspiece o2 is placed afriction-roller, e, which works in a cam, F, in order to throw theblades outwardly and draw them in at the proper points in the revolutionof the wheel. The cam F is so formed and placed as to throw the bladeout in such portion of the revolution of the wheel as will cause theblade to take a propelling hold upon the water, and draw the blade intothe wheel when passing through the air. It is so shaped that it willthrow the blade out when the blade comes round to the water, but itallows the blade to draw back into its slot in case it strikes auobstruction. rFhe weight of the blade is sufficient to keep it in thewater when there are no obstructions in the way. The cam forces theblade back into the wheel as the bladr leaves the water. The cam may bemade o' cast Or wrought iron, and connected by ordi nary means to thevessel within the wheel house. A section of the wheel-house is showl atH, and a section ot' the vessel or boati shown at G.

ln Fig. lV is represented a skeleton whee rIhe arms ot' the blades arehinged or pivote to the rim of the wheel, as shown at i, Fig lV, byIneans of the cross-piece J, shown i Fig. VL A portion of the cam inthis forinr the wheel is connected to a weighted and v e tically-moviuglever, 7c, so that in case tl blade should strike a solid substance wlnpassing through the watersuch as alog, ca of ice, or other solidbody-the cam, or th part of it which is connected to the lever, v yieldand allow the blade to draw back ii the wheel until the obstruction ispassed, a

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS B. SCOTT, of the city of Buffalo, and Stateof New York, have invented a new and improved Paddle- Wheel; and l dohereby declare that the following 'is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the construction and operation of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in which- Figureis a side elevation of a paddle-wheelwith curved buckets. Fig. l1 is an end elevation ofthe same. Fig. lll isa section. Fig. 1V is a side elevation of said wheel withstraightbuckets. Fig. V is aplan ofthe curved bucket. Fig. VI is a planof the straight bucket.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of thefigures.

The nature of my invention relates, first, to making a paddle-wheel forpropelling boats upon the water in such a manner that the buckets orpropelling-blades will be thrown outwardly beyond the periphery of thewheel in that part of its revolution when'ihe buckets will take apropelling hold upon the water, and be drawn within the wheel at suchpoints in its revolution when the buckets are passing through the air;second, in making the wheel with divisions, which divisions can be madewater-tight compartments or otherwise, between which divisions orcompartments the buckets withdraw when passing through the air, andemerge therefrom when passing through the water.

Arepresents a paddle-wheel of any required diameter, which may be madesolid, of wood, with slots or openings running from the periphery towardthe center for the buckets to work through, or it may be made ofboiler-iron or other suitable material, with water-tight compartments,which are shown at o', Fig. l. The slots or spaces between the divisionsor coinpartments through which the blades work are shown at a2. rlheseslots or spaces are just large enough to allow the blades to work freeand easy through them, leaving no spare room for obstructions to get in.

B represents the axle or shaft upon which the wheel revolves, and whichhas appropriate journal-bearings, asin a common manner.

The blade or bucket Is shown at G. lt is `tirely free to yield toobstructions.

ordinary blades, and feather themselves in a very easy manner. u

Fourth. The Wheel may be run to She depth of its axle in the water, and,whenI made of solid wood or of boiler-iron in water-tight compartments,it has a buoyant power sulicient, or nearly so, to sustain its ownWeight. The skeleton wheel shown in Fig. IV may also run to the depth ofits axle in the water, but its blades are more liable to encounterobstructions from floating logs, ice, timber, Sac.

Fifth. It is impossible to clog the blades by tow-lines7 or otherobstructions when used for canal-boats, or by the rigging of disabledvessels floating in the water in case of a battle between gunboats.

vWhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

l. The bucket c, attached to the arm c at any given angle thereto, thearms being hinged to the wheel near the periphery thereof, and geared byan eccentric, which is su'pported by the boat, for the purposes andsubstantially as described.

2. Making the wheel with compartments a, leaving an open space, a2,between each, through which space the bucket advances and recedes, forthe purposes set forth, and shown in the drawings.

FRANCIS B. SCOTT.

thus prevent any great strain or injury to the blade or whee When theobstruction is passed, the Weighted lever will drop that part of the camdown to its place again. In the other form of bucket, Fig. I, there isno upper bearing to the cam at that part of itwhen the bucket is in thewater. Consequently I depend upon its weight and shape to keep it in thewater and at the same time leave it en- The advantages of a wheelconstructed as herein described are numerous.

First. The blades, being thrown out from the periphery of the wheel whenthey take hold of the water, permit the use ot' a wheel of smallerdiameter (and hence a smaller Wheel-house) with equal propellingadvantage, as though a Wheel of ordinary construction had a diameterequal to the utlermost throw of the blades.

Second. The blades are less liable to be broken or injured than ordinaryblades, because if they strike a solid substance they will give back orwithdraw into the body of the Wheel until the obstruction is passed.

Third. This wheel is admirably adapted to flat-bottomed boats, forcanal, river, and all shallow-Water navigation, as the blade will not beinjured by striking the ground or the sloping banks of a canal. Thewheel can be so placed as to allow the blades to dip as low or lowerthan the bottom of the boat. They take a deeper hold upon the water thanAW'itnesses:

G. H. GooDRrcH, E. B. FoRBUsH.

